More than 100 years ago, Isaiah Cole visited the house in which his father was born, and reported that it was in good condition. The house was said to be 106 years old at the time. Reported in the 20 Mar 1919 Chatham Record.

The house, pictured here in 1983, when the county's architectural survey was conducted, was in "very dilapidated condition." It was said to be one of the most important early houses in Chatham County. It is believed to be the homeplace of Methodist minister Isaiah Cole (1778-circa 1850), who bought the land on which it stands from his father, William Cole, in 1811.

According to the Architectural Heritage of Chatham County NC, the original house was a south-facing saddle-notch log cabin, probably one room in size, constructed circa 1800. The beautifully crafted chimney can be seen in our photo. Subsequently, in the mid-1800s, a frame addition with pegged joints was built on the western elevation of the cabin and given a Federal era treatment that included flush sheathing in the hall-parlor interior, an enclosed stair, and "a notable mantle with reeded pilasters and a two-part frieze." I wish we had photos of those features!

The house no longer stands today. Click on the image to enlarge.

Chatham's architectural heritage has recently been updated, at least in part, by a project undertaken by volunteer Kimberly Steiner, to photograph older houses in four of Chatham's townships. You can find her results to date on our website: https://chathamhistory.org/Architectural-Update-2019-2021

If there's an old house or outbuilding in the county that you think is worth preserving in photos, send us some photos along with whatever information you have.

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